ArticleMolecular autism2023
Sex-specific and sex-independent steroid-related biomarkers in early second trimester maternal serum associated with autism.
Article in Molecular autism, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- The prenatal sex steroid theory of autism after 25 years.Nature human behaviour · 2026Review
- Sex-dimorphic reprogramming of fetal mouse brain development by maternal estradiol excess.Biology of sex differences · 2025Article
- Neuroactive steroid exposure impacts neurodevelopment: Comparison of human and rodent placental contribution.Journal of neuroendocrinology · 2025Review
- Chromosome X-wide common variant association study in autism spectrum disorder.American journal of human genetics · 2025Article
- Serum Metabolic and Gut Microbiome Differences in Age-Associated Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) Pediatric Patients May Benefit Clinical Therapy Development.International journal of general medicine · 2025Article
- Regional differences in autism and intellectual disability risk associated with cesarean section delivery.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2024Article
- Chromosome X-Wide Common Variant Association Study (XWAS) in Autism Spectrum Disorder.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPrenatal exposure to maternal metabolic conditions associated with inflammation and steroid dysregulation has previously been linked to increased autism risk. Steroid-related maternal serum biomarkers have also provided insight into the in utero steroid environment for offspring who develop autism.
objectiveThis study examines the link between autism among offspring and early second trimester maternal steroid-related serum biomarkers from pregnancies enriched for prenatal metabolic syndrome (PNMS) exposure. STUDY
designEarly second trimester maternal steroid-related serum biomarkers (i.e., estradiol, free testosterone, total testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin) were compared between pregnancies corresponding to offspring with (N = 68) and without (N = 68) autism. Multiple logistic regression analyses were stratified by sex and gestational duration. One-way ANCOVA with post hoc tests was performed for groups defined by autism status and PNMS exposure.
resultsIncreased estradiol was significantly associated with autism only in males (AOR = 1.13 per 100 pg/ml, 95% CI 1.01-1.27, p = 0.036) and only term pregnancies (AOR = 1.17 per 100 pg/ml, 95% CI 1.04-1.32, p = 0.010). Autism status was significantly associated with decreased sex hormone binding globulin (AOR = 0.65 per 50 nmol/L, 95% CI 0.55-0.78, p < 0.001) overall and when stratified by sex and term pregnancy status. The inverse association between sex hormone binding globulin and autism was independent of PNMS exposure. LIMITATIONS: The relative racial and ethnic homogeneity of Utah's population limits the generalizability of study results. Although significant differences by autism status were identified in concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin overall and of estradiol in participant subgroups, differences by PNMS exposure failed to reach statistical significance, which may reflect insufficient statistical power.
conclusionBoth elevated maternal serum estradiol in males only and low maternal serum sex hormone binding globulin in both sexes are associated with increased autism risk. Further investigation is merited to identify how steroid, metabolic, and inflammatory processes can interact to influence neurodevelopment in early second trimester.
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